Synopsis

The video follows a young boy growing up with his mother under difficult financial circumstances. At school, he is bullied and isolated, but writing becomes an escape and a way to imagine a better future. His story is intercut with performance footage of Tinie Tempah rapping on a New York City rooftop and Eric Turner singing beside a piano in a stark white room. Together, the narrative and performances reinforce the song's message of perseverance, ambition and rising above hardship.

Factoids & Trivia

• The official video was released on YouTube on August 13, 2010, three days after a short teaser trailer appeared online.

• The performance footage was filmed in New York City. Tinie Tempah performs from a rooftop, while Eric Turner delivers the chorus seated on a piano in a white studio-like setting.

• The storyline was designed to represent the experience of a city child facing hardship rather than to recreate Tinie Tempah's own childhood. He specifically stated that the boy was not intended to be a younger version of himself.

• The video received a separate US debut on February 1, 2011, supporting the song's crossover campaign after its major success in the United Kingdom.

• "Written in the Stars" became Tinie Tempah's second UK number one single and later gained a wider sporting and event legacy, including use at WrestleMania XXVII and the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.